~ a blog from love by leya

Longing for the Shad of Spring

I realize that here in the Northeast we’ve been having a very mild winter (with the not so small exception of Superstorm Sandy), but still, I am eagerly anticipating the onset of spring. It seems that January always finds me daydreaming about tulips and t-shirts. So, I guess I’ll begin my 2013 blogging with a homage to a warmer time…

In the little city of Lambertville where I live, we have a very distinct way to celebrate the season’s change. Being located on the Delaware River (which I can almost see – if it weren’t for all those trees – out my 2nd floor kitchen window), we witness the mass spawning of American Shad every year at April’s end. I must not be the only one who delights in this telling symbol of spring because the streets fill up with people reveling in Shadfest – a street fair to honor our fishy friends and the passing of another winter. There are food vendors, arts and crafts displays, beer tastings at the local brewery, and even a rubber duck race down the canal. And, because Lambertville is a rather artistic place, there is also a Shadfest poster exhibition and auction with donations of original works by local folks.

Last year I participated in this project – all proceeds from the auction go to undergraduate art scholarships for students from local high schools pursuing careers in the visual arts. Here are some images of my submission…

I drew a quirky little line drawing of my house:

Then I spent some time cutting it out of paper:

And here is the final product:

I had so much fun making this house portrait. Writing about it now, I’m inspired to make a series of house portraits in various architectural styles. Look out for a future post along these lines…